2018 Jeep Cherokee problems

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I have a 2018 Jeep Cherokee. The exact component causing the problem is UNKNOWN. While driving, a “Service Shifter” warning appeared on the dashboard and all of the gear indicator lights illuminated at the same time. After I turned the vehicle off and restarted it, the warning disappeared. On a separate occasion, a “4WD Service Unavailable” message appeared along with the SVC 4WD warning light. That warning also later disappeared. I am concerned about my safety because these warnings involve the vehicle’s shifter and four-wheel-drive system, and I do not know whether either system could malfunction while I am driving. The vehicle has not been inspected or diagnosed by a Jeep dealer or independent repair facility for this problem yet. I took the vehicle to Advance Auto Parts, where they connected a diagnostic scanner, but no codes were found with their scanner. The warnings have been intermittent and have disappeared after restarting the vehicle. There were no other symptoms that I noticed before the warnings appeared. The exact cause of the Service Shifter and SVC 4WD warnings is UNKNOWN.

NHTSA complaint #11756845 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, several unknown warning lights were illuminated on the instrument panel, and the transmission was shifting very roughly. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where the battery was replaced several times out of pocket; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 117,270.

NHTSA complaint #11752716 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STRUCTURE

The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at 25–30 MPH on the highway, the brakes locked up, and the vehicle failed to move. The "Service Brakes" message illuminated on the instrument panel after the failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V523000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the electronic brake module had failed due to water intrusion and corrosion. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 102,000.

NHTSA complaint #11749251 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at 25–30 MPH on the highway, the brakes locked up, and the vehicle failed to move. The "Service Brakes" message illuminated on the instrument panel after the failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V523000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the electronic brake module had failed due to water intrusion and corrosion. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 102,000.

NHTSA complaint #11749251 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS

The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the rear end of the vehicle was shaking abnormally, and the rear end of the vehicle was uncontrollable. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with two fractured bolts on the rear passenger’s side wheel. The contact was informed that the two bolts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to another independent mechanic where it was confirmed that the two bolts were fractured on the rear passenger's side wheel. The contact was informed that the two bolts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact was informed that the two fractured bolts were severely damaged and had been damaged for a while. The contact stated that the dealer had performed an alignment on the vehicle the day before the failure occurred. The contact stated that the dealer failed to inform the contact of the issue. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 143,790.

NHTSA complaint #11746163 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, the vehicle shut off as several warning lights appeared on the instrument panel. The contact made multiple attempts to restart the vehicle but to no avail. The police arrived at the scene and helped to place the vehicle into neutral(N) and moved the vehicle off to the side of the road. Due to the failure, the vehicle was initially towed to the contact's home and was then towed to a dealer. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle with a failed alternator and PTU(Power Transfer Unit). The vehicle was towed back to the contact's home due to the cost of the repair. The contact called an independent mechanic who managed to replace the alternator. Although the contact managed to drive the vehicle once the alternator was replaced; the contact stated that the same warning lights including the 4WD warning message remained on the instrument panel. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V011000(Power Train); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be fully repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 118,000.

NHTSA complaint #11740839 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Cherokee. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V011000 (Power Train), and the part was listed as available at the time. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed to have the PTU/full transmission failure as listed in the recall notice; however, the vehicle was not repaired due to the dealer not being able to remedy the part. The part was ordered. The contact stated while driving the vehicle at an undisclosed speed on the highway, she attempted to accelerate but no power was given. She pulled off to the side, and authorities were called for traffic control. The vehicle was unable to move. When engaging into drive, the vehicle sounded like it was coming apart. The contact stated the vehicle was not able to engage its own brake. When the vehicle was towed, there was no evidence that the wheels were locked up. Shortly after that, the vehicle's PTU became fully inoperable, causing the vehicle to not be able to be placed in park or any other driver setting. The vehicle was towed to the dealer a second time. The tow company parked the vehicle at the dealer on a hill. With a failed transmission, this caused the vehicle's E-brake to disengage, causing it to roll off the hill and stopped rolling shortly after once on flat ground. The dealer declined to perform the recall repair and prompted the contact to fix the E-brake on her own, although the failure portrayed to the recall notice. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 110,000.

NHTSA complaint #11740894 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, the vehicle shut off as several warning lights appeared on the instrument panel. The contact made multiple attempts to restart the vehicle but to no avail. The police arrived at the scene and helped to place the vehicle into neutral(N) and moved the vehicle off to the side of the road. Due to the failure, the vehicle was initially towed to the contact's home and was then towed to a dealer. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle with a failed alternator and PTU(Power Transfer Unit). The vehicle was towed back to the contact's home due to the cost of the repair. The contact called an independent mechanic who managed to replace the alternator. Although the contact managed to drive the vehicle once the alternator was replaced; the contact stated that the same warning lights including the 4WD warning message remained on the instrument panel. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V011000(Power Train); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be fully repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 118,000.

NHTSA complaint #11740839 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, all of the warning indicators on the instrument cluster panel illuminated. Additionally, the contact noted that the parking brake occasionally felt as though it had not engaged, and while driving, the parking brake would disengage on its own. The contact also stated that the vehicle hesitated during acceleration and failed to shift smoothly into the next gear. The contact referenced NHTSA ID Number: 25V011000 (Power Train) to be the cause of the issue however, the VIN was not included in the recall repair. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 99,000.

NHTSA complaint #11740690 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

PTU failed. Service 4 WD Light is on. Jeep has a recall but my VIN isn't included. It is going to cost over $3000 to get it fixed.

NHTSA complaint #11740422 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I am writing to escalate a safety and reimbursement concern regarding my 2018 Jeep Cherokee, VIN [Your VIN], which is subject to recall 01C / 25V‑011 (Power Transfer Unit Snap Ring Defect). Before the recall remedy was available, my vehicle experienced a sudden loss of drive power, grinding, and jerking, which led to a full transmission replacement. I was stranded on the side of an interstate ramp as a result of this loss of drive power. The PTU was not replaced and remains original. I now intermittently receive a “4WD won’t work” alert 65-80% of vehicle starts. I attempted to schedule my vehicle for the recall repair and spoke in length with the Jeep dealership in [XXX] on 2/23/26. The dealership has informed me that PTU replacement parts are unavailable and could take months to arrive. If the dealership detects a concern during inspection, they will not allow me to keep the vehicle, yet they cannot provide a loaner. This leaves me without transportation for an indefinite period, despite the recall being an active safety concern. It is important to note that the PTU is directly connected to the transmission and transfers power to the rear wheels; a PTU failure can place stress on or impair the transmission, which can cause symptoms identical to sudden transmission failure. I request escalation to a senior case manager or Tier 2 Top Car Specialist, review of my prior repair for reimbursement, and documentation of the ongoing 4WD alerts to support safety and claim review. Attachments: repair receipt. Thank you for your time, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11737778 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

The steering rack failed about one week after I purchased the vehicle. The dealer replaced the steering rack once, but the same problem happened again about six months later. The vehicle has now been at the dealership for about one year waiting for another replacement steering rack. The dealer informed me the part is unavailable and must be specially manufactured. A loaner vehicle was provided while waiting. This repeated steering system failure is a serious safety concern.

NHTSA complaint #11737325 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

I am filing a safety complaint regarding Safety Recall 01C (NHTSA 25V-011) and the handling of my vehicle by both the dealership and Stellantis. My vehicle exhibited fault codes and conditions consistent with the defect described in Recall 01C, including: DTC C1477-4B (Transfer Case Clutch Over Temperature) DTC C1440-64 (Transfer Case Clutch Pressure Sensor) Documented drivetrain control module failure status (“TestFailed: True”) Excessive clutch temperature readings exceeding 400°F These are consistent with PTU-related failure conditions the recall is intended to detect and address. Despite this, the dealership concluded that the PTU was not the cause and instead replaced the rear differential. I repeatedly requested written documentation explaining how the PTU was ruled out and how the rear differential was determined to be the root cause. This was not clearly provided. Additionally, the recall remained marked as “incomplete” for over a month while the vehicle was in the dealership’s possession. Immediately after I escalated the issue to corporate, the recall was suddenly marked “complete,” without clear explanation or supporting documentation. I was also not clearly informed that the Drivetrain Control Module (DTCM) had been replaced. I do not know: When the DTCM was replaced relative to testing Whether recall testing was performed with a faulty DTCM Whether the new DTCM was properly updated under Recall 01C Whether testing was repeated after replacement If recall validation was performed using a faulty DTCM, this raises concerns that the PTU testing procedure may have been invalid. The vehicle remained at the dealership for nearly two months during this process. Throughout this time, I experienced significant difficulty obtaining clear answers, and my concerns were not fully addressed before the recall was marked complete. I am concerned that: The recall may have been improperly executed or validated

NHTSA complaint #11737110 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

while i was driving my vehicle put the parking brake on and then i was unable to get it deactivated at first, after a few seconds i got it and moved forward in traffic. after a few feet the vehicle put the parking brake on and i was unable to move once again. this was in the middle of traffic and i ended up blocking the single lane road. I called a family member who was near by and they came and some how got the parking brake off and drove me and the vehicle home. my safety and everyone one around safety was jeopardized because they had to go into oncoming traffics lane to pass me until i got moving. parking wouldn't engage when we got home and service parking brake light was on.

NHTSA complaint #11737078 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SERVICE BRAKES

while i was driving my vehicle put the parking brake on and then i was unable to get it deactivated at first, after a few seconds i got it and moved forward in traffic. after a few feet the vehicle put the parking brake on and i was unable to move once again. this was in the middle of traffic and i ended up blocking the single lane road. I called a family member who was near by and they came and some how got the parking brake off and drove me and the vehicle home. my safety and everyone one around safety was jeopardized because they had to go into oncoming traffics lane to pass me until i got moving. parking wouldn't engage when we got home and service parking brake light was on.

NHTSA complaint #11737078 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the 4WD warning light illuminated, rendering the 4WD inoperable. The vehicle automatically switched to the Rear Wheel Drive mode. The vehicle was taken to both an independent mechanic and the dealer, who determined that the PTU had failed and needed to be replaced, but the part was on backorder. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V011000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.

NHTSA complaint #11736261 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to shift properly when the accelerator was applied. The contact was unaware of any warning lights illuminated at the time of the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the power transfer unit and drivetrain had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a reimbursement case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 99,477.

NHTSA complaint #11735194 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

While driving, often at highway speeds, all of the lights on the shifter will light up and the dash will display "Service Transmission." I took it to the dealer several times and their response has been that it is a software issue that they do not have a fix for and that I should stop the car, turn the engine off, open and close the door and then restart the car. This does temporarily reset the display but doing this on the highway poses a safety problem in trying to get to the shoulder in traffic.

NHTSA complaint #11734310 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

When the running lights and headlights are set to Auto, moving the lever to High Beam causes the lights to go out. I have been asking the dealer and trying to find a solution since buying the car new, but no recall had been issued for my VIN and the dealer will not correct the problem with a recall specific to my VIN and year/model. There is a known issue with the Smart Lighting Module that prevents the High Beam from activating and shuts off the headlight in the Auto position, and a software update has been issued for the newer models, but not for the 2018 Cherokee with the same software.

NHTSA complaint #11734305 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

When the running lights and headlights are set to Auto, moving the lever to High Beam causes the lights to go out. I have been asking the dealer and trying to find a solution since buying the car new, but no recall had been issued for my VIN and the dealer will not correct the problem with a recall specific to my VIN and year/model. There is a known issue with the Smart Lighting Module that prevents the High Beam from activating and shuts off the headlight in the Auto position, and a software update has been issued for the newer models, but not for the 2018 Cherokee with the same software.

NHTSA complaint #11734305 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

While driving, often at highway speeds, all of the lights on the shifter will light up and the dash will display "Service Transmission." I took it to the dealer several times and their response has been that it is a software issue that they do not have a fix for and that I should stop the car, turn the engine off, open and close the door and then restart the car. This does temporarily reset the display but doing this on the highway poses a safety problem in trying to get to the shoulder in traffic.

NHTSA complaint #11734310 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Back up camera turns to static when going in reverse. Has been happening for years. No warnings. Just malfunctioning. Reported this in 2019 to Jeep.

NHTSA complaint #11731091 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ADAS:REAR OCCUPANT ALERT (ROA):CAMERA/SENSOR

Back up camera turns to static when going in reverse. Has been happening for years. No warnings. Just malfunctioning. Reported this in 2019 to Jeep.

NHTSA complaint #11731091 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The PTU has failed and caused damage to splines. This failure caused the engine light to come on intermittently and failure to shift. The problem has been confirmed by a dealership where the car is and has been sitting for repair for almost a year due to no repair parts available from Jeep.

NHTSA complaint #11730663 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The Power Transfer Unit (PTU) has malfunctioned. Specifically, the Drivetrain Control Module (DTCM) is reporting a "TestFailed" status with active fault codes C1440-64 (Transfer Case Clutch Pressure Sensor) and C1477-4B (Transfer Case Clutch - Over Temperature). The vehicle and its diagnostic logs are available for inspection. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The failure creates a risk of sudden loss of motive power while driving or a loss of the PARK function when stationary, both of which can lead to a collision. Furthermore, internal diagnostic data has recorded clutch plate temperatures as high as 437.1°F. This extreme thermal condition represents a significant fire hazard and the potential for mechanical seizure while the vehicle is in motion. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes. The problem was confirmed by Larry H. Miller Casa Chrysler Jeep after the 01C recall software was installed, which subsequently triggered the "TestFailed" status. Additionally, an independent inspection by Universal Transmission confirmed the specific PTU fault codes and verified that the overheating issue is originating from the PTU. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? The vehicle has been inspected by a manufacturer-authorized dealership (Larry H. Miller Casa Chrysler Jeep) and an independent service center (Universal Transmission). Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? Yes, the vehicle displayed "4WD Overheating," "Temp Unavailable," and "Service 4WD" warning lamps and messages. These symptoms were formally documented in technical scan reports beginning in early March 2026.

NHTSA complaint #11729828 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.